| | Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) |  Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: May 2002 Posts: 2,152 | Jim,
I hope you are in physical therapy after the neck disection. You really need this to help with the scarring and rebuild muscle that may have been damaged.
As for working, you mention IMRT but not chemo. Are you having chemo also? You may have a better chance of working for the first several weeks if no chemo. I had only XRT and went down like a rock after 9 days with high fever, but was also back to work at desk job, no talking, 3 weeks after rads. It was a couple weeks too early, but like you I might have lost my job if I hadn' returned.
Play it by ear. How much notice does your employer need to know you will be out? Ask your docs what to expect. Everyone is different so it is hard to tell. You are young so you may fare better.
Take care,
Eileen
----------------------
Aug 1997 unknown primary, Stage III
mets to 1 lymph node in neck; rt ND, 36 XRT rad
Aug 2001 tiny tumor on larynx, Stage I total laryngectomy; left ND
June 5, 2010 dx early stage breast cancer
June 9, 2011 SCC 1.5 cm hypo pharynx, 70% P-16 positive, no mets, Stage I
| | | | | Joined: May 2009 Posts: 72 Supporting Member (50+ posts) | | Supporting Member (50+ posts)
Joined: May 2009 Posts: 72 | Hi everybody,
I completely forgot about this post and then I was given the info that I could check under "my stuff" to see what I have posted!!!!
Thanks for all the feedback. My husband is going on week 3 and heading to his next chemo ( day 13 of rad) and finally stopped working. It just wiped him out plumbing all day. The little jobs were okay but he says his mind is foggy. So.....I am grateful that he is taking it easy. He walks a lot and gardens a little. He and I are starting to get the drift of this and realize that next few weeks are going to be a bit rough.
Vanessa
Jeff age 49 DX 5/8/09 Tonsil cancer T2N2BMO. Tonsillectomy 5/14/09. TX: Cisplatin 3x's every 21 days w/ 33 Rad concurrent. 2-3 nodes on right neck affected. PEG 7/10/09. Chemo/rad start 6/12/9, TX finished 7/28/09. Extended TX
3 more chemo/Cisplatin/5FU/Docetaxil start 9/11, Clean PET 10/29/09.
| | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 1,004 | You can do it...just pop in here when you need the support.
Suzanne
***********
T1 SCC on right side of tongue
Age 31...27 when diagnosed
4 partial glossectomies
No chemo or radiation
Biopsy on 2/2/10-Clear
Surgery needed again...no later than April 2011
Loving life and just became a mother on 11/25/10
It's not what we CAN'T do..it's what we CAN do:)
| | | | | Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 128 Senior Member (100+ posts) | | Senior Member (100+ posts)
Joined: Apr 2009 Posts: 128 | I worked through the first seven weeks then I was so tired that even a shower tired me out. Believe me it was not easy I pushed myself a lot of time during the first seven weeks but I had set a goal for my self of five weeks and when I hit that I continued to go on to see how much I could push. You will know when it is time to call it quits for a while. Try it it may be the uplift/push you need. Only you know!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Age 57 at dx on 3/30/2009 by Dentist
SCC of R tonsil S2 Poorly Differentiated - 2.5 cm
Rad - IMRT 5x a wk for 8 wks starting 5/4/2009
No Chemo
Last Rad treatment was 6/26/2009.
Two years down as of 3/30/2011!
God bless all affected by this monster called cancer!
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | I also couldn't seem to keep my focus very long. Heck I found keeping up with Judge Judy was mentally challenging towards the end. lol
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
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